2011-06-17 WikiLeaks Notes: Latest News on #Cablegate Releases, #WikiLeaks & More

This is a "WikiLeaks News Update," constantly updated throughout each day. The blog tracks stories that are obviously related to WikiLeaks but also follows stories related to freedom of information, transparency, cybersecurity, freedom of expression, and sometimes the national security establishment of the United States because each issue/topic helps one further understand WikiLeaks and vice versa.

All the times are EST. You can contact me at kgosztola@hotmail.com with any news tips. Twitter username is @kgosztola. Also, if you are looking for some insightful discussion of stories related to WikiLeaks, I encourage you to check out the catalog of podcasts posted here at WL Central from the "This Week in WikiLeaks" show I produce every week.

**Greg Mitchell, a WikiLeaks Blog Master, continues to blog at TheNation.com. I will be conducting interviews with speakers at Netroots Nation so updates may be a bit irregular and sporadic today (like yesterday).

11:55 PM Morocco's King Mohamed VI responds to Arab spring by rewriting the country's constitution and giving more power to elected political leaders. However, he maintains a hold on security.

The story from The Guardian cites a WikiLeaks cable that featured a US diplomat condemning "the appalling greed of those close to King Mohammed VI."

11:30 PM More on the India cables from The Hindu: article details how the Nuclear Suppliers Group in India is set to up-end "clean waiver" bill -- nuclear liability bill.

11:20 PM Stars & Stripes' Mark Prendergrast writes on White House directing federal agencies to warn employees that they could be violating "applicable laws and policies" if they viewed "classified documents" made public by WikiLeaks.

Concludes:

Until WikiLeaks, the emphasis in DoDD 5122.11 was on Stars and Stripes’ “disclosure of classified national security information” that was not already in “the public domain.”

At the least, the Pentagon should return to that standard and lift the warning against Stars and Stripes journalists going about their rightful business of fully and freely gathering information on behalf of their readers – the very people whose service and sacrifice make possible a free press.

11:15 PM GovTech post thanks Julian Assange for "priceless lesson in document security." Outlines four things that WikiLeaks has "taught" on document security: 1) Share information but be careful with whom you share 2) Trust is nice but back it up with technology 3) Implement embedded security technology but don't make it complicated for the user and 4) Traditional encryption and data loss prevention solutions won't prevent the next WikiLeaks type of incident.

5:45 PM NSA would like to read US citizens' email. Department of Defense moves to increase online surveillance as part of a "preemptive strike" against hackers.

DoD is mounting it's first strike back at the hackers--a preemptive strike that will increase online surveillance at defense contractors by partnering with internet service providers for privileged access to the rivers of data flowing through their cables. AT&T, Verizon and CenturyLink are all on board.

5:20 PM Committee to Protect Journalists asks if Internet is an aid or weapon in Africa. It looks at how WikiLeaks has inspired the rise of similar regional sites. Notes, for example, Jamii Forums, a Tanzanian Swahili-language website that provides platform for public to publish material anonymously.

Frank Nyakairu, veteran war reporter says, "WikiLeaks touched every single government and no one is in control...Imagine if similar, regional sites like WikiLeaks enter the playing field? Governments around here won't like that."

5:10 PM At TheNation.com, write-up & radio segment on what the Haiti cables released by WikiLeaks show. Anna Lekas Miller writes, "US administrations may change, but US interests don't." Recent released cables reveal "corrupt dealings."

The Nation's Dan Coughlin and Haïti Liberté's Kim Ives join The Leonard Lopate Show to discuss.

A recent leak of 1,918 WikiLeaks cables related to Haiti reveals the known—but rarely acknowledged—corrupt US dealings with Haiti. Despite a distracting veneer of red cross assistance and earthquake relief volunteers, it seems that a new cold war is developing, this time between the north and south of the western hemisphere.

The Nation's Dan Coughlin and Haïti Liberté's Kim Ives join The Leonard Lopate Show to explain the cables and the picture of manipulation and interference they paint of US involvement in Haiti.

1:30 PM Jillian C. York video up at TheNation.com. This is a video interview I did at the Personal Democracy Forum conference in New York City just over a week ago. York, who is with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, discusses freedom of expression on the Internet and highlights Amazon's decision to refuse services to WikiLeaks.

12:30 PM At Netroots Nation 2011 conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, an audience member asks, "If I signed up for emails from the Bradley Manning Support Network, am I now a target?" The question came during a panel titled, "What the Government Wants to Know About You" and Marcy Wheeler of Firedoglake, Catherine Crump of the ACLU, Julian Sanchez of the CATO Institute and Christopher Calabrese of the ACLU were speakers.

Wheeler addresses this head-on, saying government has the legal ability under the Espionage Act to use Patriot Act powers & come after WikiLeaks and Bradley Manning supporters. Sanchez adds if you're on an email list that is shared there is a fair chance the history of emails and your websites visited are being surveilled.

9:20 AM Free Malaysia Today, covering cables from Malaysia, details how Washington expressed concern over Malaysian companies suspected of illegal transshipment activities involving Iran.

9:10 AM US military program shares classified information on cyber threats with defense contractors along with their ISPs, a Department of Defense official announced. This is part of a "stepped up effort" to prevent cyber attacks. Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn claims this move will "protect strategic information stored in contractors' networks and maintain a technology lead over adversaries."